![]() Book name: All Quiet on the Western Front Author: Erich Maria Remarque Genre: Novel/ War Story Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link Young men of iron. Young? None of us is more than twenty. But young? Young men? That was a long time ago. We are old now. The famous title of this short Novel which comes from the 1930s film of the same name depicts the experiences of young soldiers on the German side during World War I. I Really like how they illustrate the experiences of the soldiers that have to go through the war through the Mundaneness of War which involves alot of waiting around and boredom which is punctured by sudden and unexpected bursts of horrific violence. This lends an air of authenticity to the novel which is directly drawing from the experiences of the author who was in a similar position and is quick unlike the typical plotline of a alot of popular war films which typically touches on a band of misfit soldiers accomplishing something daring or heroic. On the pointlessness of War ‘I think it’s more a kind of fever,’ says Albert. ‘Nobody really wants it, but all of a sudden, there it is. We didn’t want the war, they say the same thing on the other side – and in spite of that, half the world is at it hammer and tongs.’ The level of self awareness of the novel about the pointlessness of war which was written just over 10 years after the ending of World War I is really amazing and alot of its themes and key message continue to resonate today. From what I understand of World War I, it was a war of transition from more classical style of warfare which was dictated by this idea of 'Hand to Hand Combat ' and Cavalry charges all under this idea of 'gentlemanly conduct and rules of war' to something more colder and brutal which saw widespread use of poison gas, tanks and aeroplanes which has come to define modern warfare. The author really highlights and critiques the pointlessness and the resentment the soldiers who are on the front line felt towards things like practicing parade drills which served no purpose. The protagonist naively even suggests that the leaders who instigate the wars should just duke it out in a boxing match to determine the winner! While this seems naive it is also a critique of class based disconnect that was strongly visible during WWI where the officer class and command structure had a very different view of what warfare entailed compared to the harsh realities experienced by the soldiers in the trenches. For anyone interested in a film that explores these class relationships would recommend the French Film the 'The Grand Illusion' by Jean Renoir On survival We are free of care no longer – we are terrifyingly indifferent. We might be present in that world, but would we be alive in it? It is this naivetés of the protagonist who views the world in a very uncomplicated matter that makes the whole novel really endearing and relatable. It is also made clear that this seems to be the coping mechanism of alot of soldiers to maintain their sanity and survive where given the uncertainty they face, it is just too painful to even think about happier times or what they can do in the future. This is particularly the experience of the protagonist and his group who was caught up in the war while they were in their late teens and no nothing else than war. In essence the soldiers are not even given a chance to come to terms with their feelings and do not no how to process anything outside of their experiences in the war. This is highlighted really well where the portagonist goes home on leave but is unable to find joy in the mundane such as reading books that used to elicit so much joy as a youth . Finding beauty in the horror Never has life in its simplest outline seemed so desirable to us as it does now; the poppies in the fields near our base camp, the shiny beetles on the blades of grass, the warm evenings in the cool, half-dark rooms, black, mysterious trees at twilight, the stars and the streams, dreams and the long sleep. Oh life, life, life! While given the subject matter the novel is a grim, the author manages to incorporate moments of beauty and lightheartedness such as when the Soliders come across birds making nests and butterflies flittering around the Trenches or when they debate about the usefulness of their learnings in French Grammar in school when they are in France . At the same time the novel also brutally highlights the fickleness and uncertainties of war where a brief respite or even something approaching happiness is punctured by sudden and unexpected moments of violence. Overall would highly recommend this novel where alot of its themes and its message are as fresh and as urgent as ever.
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![]() Book name: Return to Sri Lanka - Travels in a Paradoxical Island Author: Razeen Sally Genre: Travel Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link Prof. Razeen Sally is mostly known as an Academic in Economics & trade and for his commentaries on economic policy, but this book shows a different side to him where he talks about hist travels in Sri Lanka the country of his birth and where he spent his childhood before subsequently returning and rediscovering Sri Lanka as an adult. His title alludes to the many paradoxes he comes across in Sri Lanka including but not limited to the long history of multiculturalism and tolerance that has prevailed since ancient times which contrasts against the racial and religious conflicts & intolerance that have plagued its recent history. The book is very approachable as it doesn't assume any prior knowledge of Sri Lankan history and where alot of the details are presented in a succinct and as small tit bits of knowledge. The book also offers insights into the socio-economic and political history of Sri Lanka which continues to evolve and shape Sri Lanka today. The book is a mix of travel log and Memoir where the author has taken care to highlight some personalities from different walks of life that he came across during his travels and which have been an inspiration to the author and the reader and which gives hope for Sri Lanka's future. Some of the interesting trivia highlighted in the book are: Mulkirigala - Temple in Tangalle where in 1826 the history minded George Turnor the government agent for Ratnapura discovered the Prose key for deciphering the Mahavamsa. Over the next decade he learnt Pali and translated the Mahavamsa first into English and then into Sinhala Hill club - Sri Lanka's version of St. James's club. Planters founded the club in 1876. Current building goes back to the 1930's. Club membership was European and men only till 1967 Kanthorodai renamed as Kathurugoda - This site in Chunnakam in the North is the centre of controversy as the Lilliputian like Stupa's which dates back to the 2nd -3rd Century B.C is used as evidence of Sinhala Buddhists in the Tamil heartlands. While it is difficult to say for certain, the consensus view is that this is evidence of Tamils who were Buddhists as well and illustrates the fluidity and mixing of different cultures & religions which was common at the time and which has given rise to the unique cultural heritage that is found in Sri Lanka Charles Austen - Jane Austen's problem brother who ran away to sea and was buried in Trinco Overall would quite recommend this book to anyone who is curious about getting a deeper understanding of Sri Lanka and its history. ![]() Book name: The Star of Kazan Author: Eva Ibbotson Genre: Childrens book, Mystery , Historical Fiction Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link Reading the title of the book, I imagined it to be a Fantasy book given its title as well as the cover image which invokes a sense of magic and mystery. The book in fact a historical fiction/ mystery novel which is set in early 20th Century in Vienna which was a part of the Austro Hungarian and German empire at the time. However given the evocative description of the neighbourhoods in Vienna, the Spanish Riding school, brooding castles in the German countryside and food delicacies, it could very well pass for a fantasy novel as well! The novel reads more like a mystery novel with elements of suspense, adventure and even a bit of horror which makes for an interesting read. I like how the story takes unexpected turns, while at the same all the little details and hints fit together and has a satisfactory payoff at the end. The character development is really good with some really memorable character. I particularly liked the worrying professors and the antics they got upto! The novel is also set in a historical context and makes references to historical figures and famous locations in Vienna and is written in a very evocative way. It's clear from the writing that the author is drawing on her own childhood exepriences growing up in Vienna which gives it a very authentic feeling to it. The book is also very interesting in that even though its written in 1999, it has the feel of a 'classic' novel and one can easily mistake the book as having been written much earlier. Another interesting point was even though the book is meant for children, it does touch on some interesting themes. One in particular was the attitude towards servants and the expected patterns of behaviour which I haven't seen covered in that way in any other novel. Recommendation Overall, while I felt that in some places the novel could have been a bit shorter if it didn't go into a few sub plots which didn't seem to fit too well into the main story, I found the characters and storytelling to be very well done and if you like a good mystery set in a historic period, this might be a novel for you. ![]() Book name: Passing Author: Nella Larsen Genre: Novel, Historical fiction Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link “It’s funny about ‘passing.’ We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we rather admire it. We shy away from it with an odd kind of revulsion, but we protect it.” Set in the 1920s New York, the story mainly revolves around two women; Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry. Irene has settles to a comfortable life when it is disrupted by the arrival of a Childhood Friend Clare Kendry who is 'passing' which is described the practice of people crossing the colour line and all the opportunities and dangers that comes with it. Irene who is the protagonist of the novel through whose eyes we experience the novel is a complicated character and the reader is left uncertain of her true intentions. At times she is in awe of Clare and wishes she is brave of enough to do the same while at other times she is horrified at her recklessness and the risks she takes. This also makes her an unreliable narrator, especially with her views towards Clare Kendry, the reader is left uncertain if she is describing what actually took place or what she imagines took place. Irene seems even unwilling to acknowledge what Clare has done and continues to refer to her by her maiden name and tries to remember her as she was in her youth. Irene considers what Clare has done by 'passing' as a danger not just to Clare but to her and the comfortable life she has built for herself. This is made even more complicated by the fact that Irene herself occasionally Passes in order to go to a fancy restaurant and allow people to think she is white. Hence it begs the question whether Irene even has the right to criticize Clare for Passing when she herself does it. In fact at the start of the novel, you feel that the story is being related by someone who is white Apart from barriers related to race, another theme that I saw strongly as a theme was class barriers. Irene's hostility towards Clare for her recklessness; imagined or otherwise might be due to the fact that Clare is not only 'Passing' the race barrier but also the class barrier as it is stated that Clare comes from a more humble background as a daughter of a Janitor compared to Irene's own status. Another interesting aspect where this is brought up is with regard to Irene's husband Brian who cautions their children with tales of horror such as lynching which Irene seems to dismiss fears of such things. This might be a reflection of the fact that her husband who unlike Irene is unable to pass given his complexion is fully aware of the dangers while Irene seems to take comfort in her class status and the privilege it affords. Recommendation The book is fairly short and it moves at a brisk pace which makes it fairly quick read. However the book has alot to unpack and contains many layers which you might be able to uncover with multiple readings. Quite liked the book and would recommend it. Quotes Clare remarked, thoughtfully : “You know, ’Rene, I’ve often wondered why more coloured girls, girls like you and Margaret Hammer and Esther Dawson and— oh, lots of others— never ‘passed’ over. It’s such a frightfully easy thing to do. If one’s the type, all that’s needed is a little nerve.” For the first time she suffered and rebelled because she was unable to disregard the burden of race. It was, she cried silently, enough to suffer as a woman, an individual, on one’s own account, without having to suffer for the race as well. It was a brutality, and undeserved. Surely, no other people so cursed as Ham’s dark children. “How could you know? How could you? You’re free. You’re happy. And,” with faint derision, “safe.” ![]() Book name: Elephant Complex Author: John Gimlette Genre: Travel Literature Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link I picked up the book at the Galle Lit Fest a couple of years back where the author spoke at the event. A point that struck me during his talk is that Sri Lanka is a place of contradictions. This was especially the case to an outsider like the author where foreigners couldn't fathom how at one end of the island a raging civil war was going on while at the other end of it there was a booming luxury tourist resorts. This was mirrored in alot of the locations which the author touches on the book which intersects with the war and other tragedies where staring out to the the sea from one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, it is juxtaposed with the sight of a cargo freighter riddled with bullet holes where the tigers made their final stand. This is a theme the author returns to over and over again throughout the book where despite all the violence and tragedy, there is some irresistible force which keeps compelling people to keep returning to the island. The author offers an outsiders perspective of Sri Lanka highlighting his travels which takes him to very unexpected places and doesn't shy away from the troubled history and where in his talk he described Sri Lankans on how we are all "Tikkak Pissu" . The book is well researched and filled with interviews with colourful personalities from all walks of life. At the same time, the book doesn't try to overwhelm the reader with facts and figures and instead its written in a way to tell a very readable story. More than a travel log, it reads more like an adventure novel and i like how along the events have been laid out, the people he interviews are framed in a way to fit a particular theme for each chapter. Ex: The courtly Kandyans, the Wild East, edgy Negombo, The tea capital etc. I particularly like how the writing and the framing shifts from chapter to chapter. While because of this it does feel at times like the events described and encounters that take place are written in a very subjective manner from a particularly viewpoint in order fit the them and where some of the encounters he describes such as his crazy driver, the ghost stories and crazy coincidences seem to be really outlandish, but knowing how many improbable things happen on a day to day basis in Sri Lanka; doesn't actually feel that far fetched and is keeping with the spirit of it! Some of the Interesting trivia that caught my attention were: Colombo lost for a piece of Cheese - The capture of Colombo by the British was conceived by a Professor Cleghorn while on Holiday where he met the Count De Meuron who was the brother of the Commander of the VOC's Swiss garrison in Colombo. They agreed on a price for the Swiss mercenaries to switch sides and the message of this was smuggled to the brother in a Hollowed out Cheese Elephant pass - The location made famous or infamous during the war, to the Vanniyas, it was also the perfect place to bring wild elephants driving them out of the forest and offering them a choice; Die, swim or learn to work which is where the place got its name An interesting visitor to Fort Fredrick, Trinco - in the late 1800s Arthur Wellesley. i.e the later famous Duke of Wellington was suffering from 'Malabar Itch'. The forts remedy was a tincture of Sulfur and Lard didn't work and as a result he missed the next ship that was to sail to the campaign to Egypt but never made it as it sunk in the red sea. According to the author, but for Trinco's cure; the rest of century would've looked a lot more French! Recommendation While the novel might seem daunting at first at over 400 pages, the writing is very sharp and evocative and each chapter is divided into a series of little vignette's which makes for easy reading .While I wouldn't recommend this book if you are looking for a more traditional travel guide and would caution that you do need some basic knowledge of Sri Lanka and its history to appreciate the novel, overall it makes for a very entertaining read. |
AuthorAvid reader of Historical fiction, High fantasy novels, Comics & Graphic Novels. Passionate about teaching & the future of education in general. Categories
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